Columbus Short says his cocaine abuse got him kicked off 'Scandal'

theGRIO REPORT - Columbus Short opens up about his struggle with drug addition and reveals that his cocaine abuse was the reason why he lost his gig on 'Scandal'....

Columbus Short is coming clean and opening up for the first time about why he was fired from ABC’s Scandal.

The 32-year-old actor made an appearance on Access Hollywood Live and discussed what he described as his “biggest problem.”

“I’ll be candid… I was struggling with drugs,” he said. “I had a lot on my plate, and you know, I was using unhealthy ways to kind of self-medicate and deal with a lot of heavy duty stuff in my life… I was doing cocaine and drinking a lot, and trying to balance a 16-hour work schedule a day, and a family, and I just lost myself back then.”

In April, Short confirmed his exit from Scandal but he says his cast mates were fully aware of his drug and alcohol problems and were a support system for him while filming.

“If we’re going to be fully transparent, they protected me and they held me down,” he said. “And that was one of the real reasons – they just wanted me to get my stuff together,” Short said. “Sometimes the bottom has to be dropped out for you to really get it. So I moved to Atlanta. I’ve been living there for the last five months, five-and-a-half months, and it’s just been great. It’s been life-changing.”

“I’m really ready to get back to work. As far as Shonda’s shows, I would love nothing more to go back to Scandal. It’s my family.”

Follow theGrio.com’s Entertainment Editor Chris Witherspoon on Twitter @WitherspoonC.

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